Real Housewives of Atlanta star NeNe Leakes is being considered as a replacement for the late Joan Rivers on the E! show Fashion Police, where a panel of hosts including Kelly Osbourne and Giuliana Rancic judge the clothes worn by celebrities on the red carpet. Other contenders include supermodel-turned-TV mogul Tyra Banks and stand-up comedian Kathy Griffin. Banks is the creator and host of the reality modeling competition show America’s Next Top Model, and Griffin had her own talk show on Bravo, Kathy, but it was cancelled after two seasons.
Although NeNe lacks TV host experience — she started her entertainment career as a stripper — her recent splash into the fashion world might help her chances of landing the Fashion Police job. NeNe’s clothing line debuted on HSN this summer and she now has a deal with K-Mart and Sears. It’s not haute coutre, but fellow New York native Joan Rivers would approve. Rivers made $800 million in sales from her QVC line of jewelry. P.S. Joan Rivers once worked a stripper pole, too.
Joan Rivers, 78, on Joan Knows Best, 2012
